


Oh the Weather Outside is Frightful

by howtotrainyournana



Category: Gravity Falls
Genre: Christmas, Christmas Caroling, Especially when you get everyone else who's snowed in with you in on the shenanigans, Filk, Fluff, Folk Songs - Freeform, Gen, Getting snowed in at a restaurant and getting up to shenanigans is the best thing okay, Music, Singing, This was some very self-indulgent fluff okay
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-04-14
Updated: 2017-04-14
Packaged: 2018-10-18 23:18:45
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 8,201
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10627236
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/howtotrainyournana/pseuds/howtotrainyournana
Summary: The Pines family and friends get snowed in at the local diner. Luckily, they have the perfect solution for staying occupied while waiting out the storm: music, and lots of it.





	

**Author's Note:**

> This was a fic that I wrote this past Christmastide as a gift for the lovely @garrulousgibberish and @eregyrn-falls and @impishnature on Tumblr. Thank you guys so much for gushing about music and childhood memories and Christmas and caroling with me XD Y'all are the greatest! 
> 
> This is also for the lovely @llyrica and @somer-joure and @crossroadsdimension on Tumblr, who are my usual compatriots in Gravity Falls shenanigans. Thanks guys for being awesome :)
> 
> Thank you for reading this, and may you have a blessed year!
> 
> -Nana Graye

According to the weatherman, the snowstorm wasn’t supposed to hit until well after midnight. Which meant, in typical Pacific Northwest fashion, it socked itself in several hours early, just as people were conveniently not yet back at home.

It was three days after Christmas and the Pines family (and the Pines extended family of Wendy, Fiddleford, Candy, and Grenda; Soos was spending the holidays with Melody and Pacifica was having her first actual honest-to-goodness family Christmas with her parents) were having a spur-of-the-moment dinner outing at Greasy’s diner. Ever since the events of last summer the town had been exceptionally kind and considerate towards the Pines family and those who had helped them. The townsfolk loved them and they were nearly always welcomed enthusiastically, which was always a great reason to visit the local diner. That, and they had somehow managed to reanimate the leftover turkey from Christmas and no one really had much of an appetite for it after having to fight it to the death. Again. So, pancakes at Greasy’s it was!

The snow was starting to gently fall as they made their way inside, the typical cheerful greeting from Susan ringing over the surprising din filling the diner. Apparently either more people were in the mood for pancakes or there had somehow been a rash of holiday poultry reanimation. Either was possible.

“Why hello there strangers! _Wink_. Out and about on a night like this? It’s getting a bit stormy, don’t you think?” Susan smiled at the group as she led them to the empty back booth and pulled several more chairs and an extra table together, Dipper and Stan helping her.

Ford cleared his throat awkwardly and tried to brush off the concern. “Just felt like going out to eat tonight,” he said. Stan snorted and rolled his eyes but remained silent. Ford flushed and continued. “Besides, the weather prediction forecast the majority of the storm to hit well after midnight. There’s plenty of time for us to enjoy good food and good company and return home safely before that.”

Susan giggled at the compliment. “Well, with that kind of a reasoning who could say no?” She laughed as she walked away to get their usual drink orders.

Stan snickered. “’Just felt like going out to eat,’ eh? Had nothing to do with accidentally bringing the turkey to life and—“ Ford kicked Stan under the table to shut him up. Stan just grinned cheekily back at him.

“Grunkle Stan, that was at _least_ forty percent my fault. I’m the one who gave Grunkle Ford the idea in the first place. Besides, it gave us a great opportunity to see how many people we could fit in the car and not get arrested!” Mabel piped up, loudly. Dipper shushed her hurriedly, gesturing over at the sheriff and his deputy who were seated at the counter sharing a piece of pie. Mabel just kept grinning broadly. Candy and Grenda giggled and Wendy smirked.

Susan took this opportunity to return and take their orders. The group fell into easy conversation after a brief but heated straw war (ended only when a neighboring table fell victim as well and proceeded to vanquish the Pines due to superior ammo reserves). Wendy produced a few decks of cards and Mabel brought out a packet of crayons. They chatted and played until the food came and even through the meal, all of them oblivious to the growing whiteness outside. As the dishes were cleared away and Susan returned with the check, Stan hazarded a glance outside the window. He let out a low whistle, drawing Ford’s attention.

“What is it, Stanley?” Ford asked.

Stan jerked his thumb at the world outside the window. “I don’t think we’re going home anytime soon, Poindexter. I wouldn’t be able to see two feet in front of me driving in this blizzard.”

The rest of the group gasped and jockeyed to get to the window.

Blizzarding it was indeed. Fat white flakes swirled thickly through the air, dancing hither and thither in gusts of wind that seemed to drive from every direction. The ground was already inches deep in the stuff and the sky showed no signs of stopping. They would have to wait out the storm.

Fiddleford spoke up. “Well, I reckon it’s just as well. It’s warm and inviting here and I’m sure as heck certain they won’t kick out the Pines family to the elements!”

Wendy relaxed back into the booth, stretching an arm around Dipper and then Mabel. “Besides, it just means more _forced bonding time_ , eh?” she said with a full-bellied laugh, ruffling both Pines’ twins hair. They laughed with her, each leaning into her embrace. Candy sprawled across their laps and Grenda leaned against Mabel, the whole of them ending up in a strange, warm cuddle pile watching the snowfall. They were all in a sleepy post-food haze, content to just enjoy each other’s company and doze as the snow fell.

Stan leaned back against the window, kicking his feet up onto the seat of the booth opposite the kids’ cuddle pile. Ford and Fiddleford were sitting at the far end of the extra table, talking quietly about nerd junk. He looked over to see the kids mostly asleep – _that was quick_ \- and let out a deep sigh of contentment, a smile creeping up his face. He let his eyes drift shut, the soft murmurs of Ford and Fiddleford blending with the dim din of the diner and lulling him into a light comfortable doze.

\----------------------------------------------------------------------

The family sat in sleepy contentedness for an interminable amount of time before Susan came over to check on them.

“You folks are more than welcome to make yourselves comfortable until the weather clears. Most folks here are staying. Better not to risk it,” she said, leaning down to speak quietly to Ford and Fiddleford.

“Thank you, ma’am,” Fiddleford beamed up at her. “We already made ourselves right comfortable it seems like,” he chuckled, “but now that we’ve got real permission we can relax for sure.”

Ford chuckled lowly as well. “Thank you, Susan. We greatly appreciate it.”

She brushed off the thanks, smiling. “No worries. You and your family have done more than enough for this town. Just … try not to attract any more crazy doo-dads, okay? Do that and you’re fine.”

Ford smiled. “That sounds like a fair deal.” Susan waved as she walked back to take care of other customers. Ford and Fiddleford went back to their conversation.

The slight break in conversation between Ford and Fiddleford as they spoke with Susan was enough to rouse Stan, who blinked awake with mild confusion before remembering the snowstorm and getting stranded. He stretched, casting a glance over at the still-sleeping pile of children. They were all dead sound asleep except for Mabel, who was beginning to stir awake. _Which means they’ll all be up soon_ , Stan mused.

He slipped a hand inside his jacket pocket and drew out his harmonica. He had gotten rather good at it while out at sea (except when he was torturing Ford with death squeals and purposefully discordant notes) and the instrument itself was well-cared-for and well-loved. He brought it gently to his lips, warming it up with some soft chords – in, out, in, out, up the scale, down the scale, in-out, in-out. The soft music drew Ford’s attention, who smiled at him warmly. He always enjoyed when Stan played the harmonica properly. Fiddleford grinned back at Stan, reaching under the table and pulling out his banjo – something he had taken to carrying with him nearly everywhere once he began regaining his sanity and his talent. And Fiddleford was talented, though the banjo still drove Ford up a wall, to Stan’s great amusement and Fiddleford’s continued indignation.

The soft sounds of strings being plucked and tuned joined the hum of the harmonica. The din of the diner died down a bit as the other patrons caught wind of what was going on.

“So, Ford, any songs playin’ through that nerdy head of yours at the moment?” Stan (harmonica now warm) tossed the question over to Ford.

Fiddleford laughed and Ford scowled before lifting a hand to his chin and looking contemplative.

“Now that you mention it, this snowstorm reminds me of some of the ballads I heard on the frozen moon of—“  
“Okay, yeah, _no_. Earth songs. Do you have any _Earth songs_ playing through that nerdy head of yours. Ones that we could, maybe … _all_ sing along to?” Stan said.

At the words ‘sing along’ Mabel bolted upright, earning a yelp from the displaced Candy and a startled yell from Grenda. “Did someone say SING ALONG!?” she shouted with glee. 

Dipper sat up, rubbing his eyes. “What’s going on? What did I miss?” he said with a yawn.

Mabel reached over and shook him by the shoulders. “We’re _singing_ , Dipper! Grunkle Stan and Grunkle McGucket are going to play for us. And _Grunkle Ford_ is going to sing!” she finished, beaming back over her shoulder at a startled-looking Ford.

He regained his composure in a moment or two, grinning back at her. “Only if my favorite great-niece sings with me, of course.” She squealed in delight and clapped her hands together. Then she frowned and put her hands on her hips.

“ _Everyone_ is going to sing together Grunkle Ford. Otherwise it won’t be as fun!”

Wendy laughed and Dipper rolled his eyes good-naturedly.

“So, what are we going to sing?” Candy asked.

Ford leaned forward towards her. “That’s a very good question. I was thinking – Christmas was only three days ago, and with all of this snow outside and us being warm in here it got me thinking of—“

“LET IT SNOW!” Grenda yelled, arms again being thrown in the air as she shook off the last of the sleepiness.

Ford beamed. “Exactly.”

Stan smirked and picked up the tune as Fiddleford began plucking out the accompaniment. Ford cleared his throat and began to sing, a rich melodic baritone that reverberated around the now-quieted diner.

_“Oh the weather outside is frightful_  
_But the fire is so delightful_  
_And since we’ve no place to go,”_

Here he gestured to the kids, who enthusiastically joined in:

_“Let It Snow! Let It Snow! Let It Snow!”_

Mabel brought her voice up to lead the next verse.

_“It doesn’t show signs of stopping_  
_And I’ve bought some corn for popping_  
_The lights are turned way down low-"_

She threw her arms wide and the rest of the group joined in.

_“Let It Snow! Let It Snow! Let It Snow!”_

Dipper jumped up, a big grin on his face, to take the bridge.

“ _When we finally kiss goodnight_ ,” he sang, pulling Candy up and out of the booth to dance with him, “ _how I’ll hate going out in the storm!_ ” 

She giggled and spun away from him, still holding his hand. He continued, grinning and spinning her back towards him.

“ _But if you’ll really hold me tight,_ ” here she pretended to swoon in his arms, “ _All the way home I’ll be warm!_ ” They laughed and bowed to each other as Wendy and Grenda picked up the last verse.

_“Oh the fire is slowly dying_  
_And, my dear, we’re still goodbyeing_ ,” they sang loudly and cheerfully, one arm looped around each other. Ford laughed heartily as they looped the other kids into the side-hug and the lot of them finished the song together.

_“But as long as you love me so_  
_Let It Snow! Let It Snow! Let It Snow!”_

Stan finished with a long warbling note on the harmonica and Fiddleford a strum of the banjo strings. As the last notes faded cheering and clapping erupted from the other diner patrons. Ford started. He had forgotten, in his excitement to sing with his family and enjoyment of their antics, that they were not alone in the establishment. He turned to address the crowd, clearing his throat, somewhat embarrassed.

“My apologies for the disturbance. I fear we may have gotten a little louder than intended, and if-“

“Can you sing _Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer?_ ” a young boy halfway down the diner interrupted, eyes wide and voice eager. Ford snapped his mouth shut in surprise.

Mabel saved him from having to find a response. “ _’Can we sing Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer’_ – of COURSE we can! Who do you think we are? We’re _Love Patrol Alpha and Company_! We can sing anything! Right Grunkle Stan?” She tossed an ingratiating smile back over her shoulder at him.

He smiled and gestured at her and Ford. “Of course, pumpkin. We’ve got the Karaoke Queen and Mr. Dictionary-of-Songs over here. We can take on anything!”

Ford let out an exasperated sigh at the nickname. “Stanley, while I admit my knowledge of popular and folk songs is extensive I would hardly categorize myself as a _dictionary_. Besides,” he said, straightening his glasses, “the term _encyclopedia_ would be more accurate.”

The crowd let out a laugh. Stan let out a groan and picked up his harmonica again, starting up the tune with a small smile. Ford rolled his eyes before opening his mouth and singing.

_“You know Dasher and Dancer and Prancer and Vixen,_  
_you know Comet and Cupid and Donner and Blitzen,_  
_But do you recall_  
_The most famous reindeer of all?”_

Here he gestured enthusiastically at the crowd, as a conductor would lead a choir. A cacophony of voices young, old, and in-between joined in, eclectic and enthusiastic.

_“Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer_  
_Had a very shiny nose_  
_And if you ever saw it_  
_You would even say it glows!”_

_“LIKE A LIGHTBULB!”_ several voices called out. Ford grinned.

_“All of the other reindeer_  
_Used to laugh and call him names—“ “LIKE PINOCCHIO!”_

_“They never let poor Rudolph_  
_Join in any reindeer games—“ “LIKE FOOTBALL!”_

_“Then one foggy Christmas Eve,_  
_Santa came to say,” “HO HO HO!”_

_“Rudolph with your nose so bright,_  
_Won’t you guide my sleigh tonight?”_

The crowd laughed as Mabel grabbed a random stranger and started waltzing with them, Dipper, Candy, and Grenda following suit. Soon half the crowd was dancing with them as they sang the last verse.

_“Then how all the reindeer loved him,_  
_As they shouted out with glee:” “YIPPEE!”_

_“Rudolph the red-nose Reindeer_  
_You’ll go down in history!” “LIKE COLUMBUS!”_

“One more time!” Stan roared over the crowd, Fiddleford striking up the melody again. The whole crowd was spinning and laughing and singing by this point, Mabel a grinning whirlwind of glittery color weaving through it.

_“Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer_  
_Had a very shiny nose;_  
_And if you ever saw it_  
_You would even say it glows!_  
_And all of the other reindeer_  
_Used to laugh and call him names;_  
_They never let poor Rudolph_  
_Join in any reindeer games!_

_Then one foggy Christmas Eve_  
_Santa came to say:_  
_Rudolph with your nose so bright,_  
_Won’t you guide my sleigh tonight?_

_Then how all the reindeer loved him,_  
_As they shouted out with glee:_  
_Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer,_  
_You’ll go down in history!”_

The whole diner was full of mirth and merriment as they sang out the last note, everyone bowing to the people next to themselves in thanks for the dance.

Stan laughed, wiping tears of laughter out of his eyes. “That was a riot! Anybody else got any more requests?” The crowd responded enthusiastically, calling out Christmas carols and folk songs over one another.

“Easy, easy! One at a time! Judging by the weather outside we’ve got plenty of time to sing folks!” Stan grinned. Many heads turned to the windows. The snow fell thickly in the dark, the wind still carrying flurries through the air in a blinding whiteout.

“Not that I think anybody minds, now,” Stan commented, nudging Ford with his elbow. He gestured out at the crowd, which was being directed by Mabel and Dipper to write out their song requests (in neon crayon, of course) on a pad of paper Mabel had pulled from her sweater.

Ford smiled at the sight, eyes crinkling happily. “No, I don’t think anybody minds. I for one don’t.” He nudged Stan back, the two of them chuckling and pushing each other back and forth like little kids. Fiddleford smiled at their antics, re-tuning his banjo and soaking in the warm, happy atmosphere pervading the diner.

The crowd settled themselves down on the floor and in the booths closest to the far back table that the Pines family occupied. Mabel and Dipper trotted back to them after a while, having collected a rather impressive list of song requests. 

“Great Uncle Ford! We’ve got a list of songs to sing from the crowd!” Dipper said, sliding the list onto the table in front of Ford. Fiddleford and Stan leaned in on either side of him to take a look at it.

“Hoo Nelly, that list’s as long as the Gobblewonker’s neck!” Fiddleford exclaimed.

Stan let out a low whistle of agreement. “What, you scared? You’re not telling me you’re gonna pass up a chance to show off those banjo skills of yours, Fiddlenerd?” he said, offering Fiddleford a mischievous grin. 

“O’ course not, Stanley,” Fiddleford paused for a moment and fixed him with an inscrutable stare. “I was just wonderin’ if you’d have enough hot air left in ya to make it all the way through,” he said coolly.

Stan’s jaw dropped at the burn.

“Oh ho _boy_ Mr. Pines, did he get _you!_ ” Wendy grinned, giving Fiddleford a high-five, which he smugly returned. Stan shook himself and recovered after a moment, leveling his best ‘I’m impressed’ look over at Fiddleford.

“You never cease to surprise me, Fiddlesticks,” he said with a grin. “I can see why Ford kept ya!”

Ford huffed, pushing the two of them back to either side of himself, separating them, and finally joining in the conversation. “Okay, enough bantering you two, we have a crowd to please,” he said, ignoring Fiddleford and Stan snickering behind his back. Ford picked up the list and scrutinized it. “Let’s just start from the top and work our way down. Sound like a plan?” After a series of enthusiastic nods from the family, Ford stood, quieting the crowd with a gentle wave of his hand.

He cleared his throat. “Ladies and gentlemen, thank you for your overwhelming enthusiasm for our spur-of-the-moment concert. There’s a lot of holiday spirit and creativity on this list here! I like it!” He brandished the list in front of him and was met with hearty laughter from the crowd. “My family and I are more than happy to entertain you while we wait for fairer weather. But to borrow words from my beloved great-niece, it is _much_ more fun to sing with everyone. So, if any of you know the words or the tunes to any of the songs, please, join us in song! The more the merrier!”

The crowd cheered enthusiastically, leaning in with excitement as Ford motioned back to Fiddleford and Stan, who raised their instruments.

“So, without further ado, _Love Patrol Alpha and Company_ brings you the first song of our impromptu concert and a fitting one for the season, _Jingle Bells!_ ”

The crowd cheered. Mabel beamed at the inclusion of the group name and hugged Dipper excitedly (who hugged her back just as excitedly). The sound of the harmonica and banjo were joined by the tinkling sound of keys jangling as people drew them out to make makeshift jingle bells.

Ford drew in a deep breath and swept his arms up to start the song.

_“Dashing through the snow_  
_In a one-horse open sleigh_  
_O'er the fields we go_  
_Laughing all the way_

_Bells on bob tail ring_  
_Making spirits bright_  
_What fun it is to ride and sing_  
_A sleighing song tonight!_

_Jingle bells, jingle bells,_  
_Jingle all the way._  
_Oh! what fun it is to ride_  
_In a one-horse open sleigh._

_Jingle bells, jingle bells,_  
_Jingle all the way;_  
_Oh! what fun it is to ride_  
_In a one-horse open sleigh!”_

The whole crowd was singing and laughing along. Ford grinned and started into the later and less well-known verses, with a surprising number of folks joining in.

_“A day or two ago_  
_I thought I’d take a ride_  
_And soon, Miss Fanny Bright_  
_Was seated by my side,_  
_The horse was lean and lank_  
_Misfortune seemed his lot_  
_He got into a drifted bank_  
_And then we got upsot!”_

More voices joined in for the chorus, picking up in volume and enthusiasm. Ford grinned and got caught up in the enthusiasm, getting into character for the next verse and acting it out.

_“A day or two ago,_  
_The story I must tell_  
_I went out on the snow,_  
_And on my back I fell;_  
_A gent was riding by_  
_In a one-horse open sleigh,_  
_He laughed as there I sprawling lie,_  
_But quickly drove away!”_

The crowd loved it, laughing into the chorus.

_“Now the ground is white_  
_Go it while you’re young,_  
_Take the girls tonight_  
_and sing this sleighing song;_  
_Just get a bobtailed bay_  
_Two forty as his speed_  
_Hitch him to an open sleigh_  
_And crack! you’ll take the lead!”_

He led the last chorus to the conclusion and to thunderous applause, bowing and earning several whooping calls from the back of the room. Dipper jumped up from where he had been seated next to Mabel and ran over to Ford, tugging him down and whispering in his ear. Ford listened intently before standing up and addressing the crowd with a smile, Dipper at his side.

“My great-nephew Dipper has just informed me that for the next song, he would like to lead the singing! So everyone, please welcome Dipper Pines singing _Jingle Bell Rock!_ ” Ford bowed back, leaving Dipper standing alone in the center of the crowd.

Dipper cleared his throat, motioning back to Fiddleford and Stan to start up the music. Wendy began tapping out a makeshift drum accompaniment on the table, Candy and Grenda joining her on the leftover silverware and cups. After a few bars of music, Mabel joined in with a few sets of keys as makeshift jingle bells.

Dipper grinned.

_“Jingle bell, jingle bell, jingle bell rock_  
_Jingle bells swing and jingle bells ring_  
_Snowin’ and blowin’ up bushels of fun_  
_Now the jingle hop has begun!_

_Jingle bell, jingle bell, jingle bell rock_  
_Jingle bells chime in jingle bell time_  
_Dancin’ and prancin’ in Jingle Bell Square_  
_In the frosty air!_

_What a bright time, it’s the right time_  
_To rock the night away_  
_Jingle bell time is a swell time_  
_To go glidin’ in a one-horse sleigh!”_

He winked at the crowd, hamming up his performance and earning several good-natured whoops and whistles.

_“Giddy-up jingle horse, pick up your feet_  
_Jingle around the clock_  
_Mix and a-mingle in the jinglin’ feet_  
_That’s the jingle bell rock_

_Jingle bell, jingle bell, jingle bell rock_  
_Jingle bell chime in jingle bell time_  
_Dancin’ and prancin’ in Jingle Bell Square_  
_In the frosty air!_

_What a bright time, it’s the right time_  
_To rock the night away_  
_Jingle bell time is a swell time_  
_To go glidin’ in a one-horse sleigh_

_Giddy-up jingle horse, pick up your feet_  
_Jingle around the clock_  
_Mix and a-mingle in the jinglin’ feet-"_

Here he motioned to the crowd to join him, dancing along to the last few lines.

_“That’s the jingle bell_  
_That’s the jingle bell_  
_That’s the jingle bell rock!”_

Applause filled the diner as Dipper took a bow and flopped back down next to Mabel, still grinning. “Dipper, that was _amazing!_ You’ve gotta sing another one later on, bro-bro!” Mabel said as she hugged him. Dipper hugged her back.

“Sure, Mabel. That was a lot of fun, and the crowd actually _liked_ me!” Dipper said with a wide smile.

Mabel poked him lovingly in the side until he laughed. “Of course they loved you, Dipper. You’re _great_.”

Dipper gave her a grateful smile.

“Thanks, Mabel.” He started poking her back and ushering her towards the center of the crowd. “Now you go wow the crowd with _your_ amazing vocal talents!”

Mabel laughed and skipped up to Ford, who had been watching the two of them with amusement.

“You ready to sing, my girl?” he asked her, a twinkle in his eye.

“Always,” she grinned back at him, wrapping him up in a spontaneous hug. She twirled back towards the audience, arms wide and stance fierce.

“Who’s ready to get Christmas crazy up in here?” she shouted. The crowd roared. “I’m Mabel Pines, Karaoke Queen extraordinaire, and tonight I’ll be leading you in the old-timey favorite _Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree!_ HIT IT!” she crowed, winking and shooting finger guns back at her family and friends. They struck up the starting ‘ooo’s and notes while she started snapping and dancing.

_“Rockin’ around the Christmas tree_  
_At the Christmas party hop_  
_Mistletoe hung where you can see_  
_Every couple tries to stop~”_

She blew a kiss at the crowd, who loved it.

_“Rockin’ around the Christmas tree_  
_Let the Christmas spirit ring_  
_Later we’ll have some pumpkin pie_  
_And we’ll do some caroling!_

_You will get a sentimental feeling_  
_When you hear_  
_Voices singing let’s be jolly_  
_Deck the halls with boughs of holly~!_

_Rockin’ around the Christmas tree_  
_Have a happy holiday_  
_Everyone dancing merrily_  
_In the new old fashioned way!”_

Stan took on the sax solo with a rather impressive harmonica version. Mabel pulled the front audience members to their feet, yelling for everyone else to dance as well – which they did, with much enthusiasm. As the harmonica solo ended Mabel led the whole room in the last part of the song.

_“You will get a sentimental feeling_  
_When you hear_  
_Voices singing let’s be jolly_  
_Deck the halls with boughs of holly_

_Rockin’ around the Christmas tree_  
_Have a happy holiday_  
_Everyone dancing merrily_  
_In the new old fashioned way!”_

Mabel hopped up on the countertop and danced and spun through the ending notes, ending with jazz hands. The crowd went wild. Lazy Susan didn’t even seem to mind that Mabel was technically violating a health code, too caught up in the fun to notice – or simply enjoying herself too much to care. All smiles now, Mabel curtsied and addressed the crowd again.

“Thank you! Thank you! I’m lovin’ the enthusiasm here tonight folks! Now, give it up for the chillest one in the room and the coolest person you will ever meet, one, the only, _Wendy Corduroy!_ ” Mabel gestured a hand over to Wendy as all eyes turned to her in surprise. 

Wendy, who had been relaxing with her feet kicked up on the table and head bobbing along to the music, smirked and swept to her feet and over to Mabel. Mabel jumped and Wendy caught her, spinning her around and laughing before putting her back on the ground. 

Mabel scurried over to a puzzled Dipper. She shushed him with an excited wave of her hand.

Wendy plopped down in one of the counter chairs, lounging up against the bar, cool as ice. She smirked out at the audience, waving at them to be quiet.

“So I don’t usually do stuff like this, but I figured what the heck? It’s not every night you get snowed in at a diner with a bunch of your favorite people.” She smiled over at the Pines, eyes bright. “This is infinitely better than apocalypse training, so I’ll treat you to one of my favorite overdone Christmas pop songs, a little thing called _Last Christmas_.”

Several members of the audience let out whoops of excitement as Stan and Fiddleford started up the music. Somewhere in the audience, another harmonica and the soft pluck of a guitar joined them. Someone began keeping the beat on a table. Wendy grinned wider.

She started out the song easily, her voice a smooth alto as cool as her attitude. Dipper’s jaw dropped. Mabel giggled and closed it for him.

_“Last Christmas_  
_I gave you my heart_  
_But the very next day you gave it away._  
_This year_  
_To save me from tears_  
_I’ll give it to someone special._

_Last Christmas_  
_I gave you my heart_  
_But the very next day you gave it away._  
_This year_  
_To save me from tears_  
_I’ll give it to someone special.”_

Wendy winked at the crowd, who was completely enamored with her performance. She had yet to leave her seat, choosing instead to embellish her performance with dramatic gestures and expressions. The crowd ate it up.

_“Once bitten and twice shy_  
_I keep my distance_  
_But you still catch my eye._  
_Tell me, baby,_  
_Do you recognize me?_  
_Well,_  
_It’s been a year,_  
_It doesn’t surprise me_  
_-Merry Christmas-_

_I wrapped it up and sent it_  
_With a note saying, “I love you,”_  
_I meant it_  
_Now I know what a fool I’ve been._  
_But if you kissed me now_  
_I know you’d fool me again~”_

The crowd joined in on the chorus, Wendy finally standing and moving about with the performance. She grabbed a spoon off the counter to use as a microphone, strutting up and down the counter and through the crowd as she sang. 

_“Oh, oh, baby._

_A crowded room,_  
_Friends with tired eyes._  
_I’m hiding from you_  
_And your soul of ice._  
_My god I thought you were someone to rely on._  
_Me? I guess I was a shoulder to cry on._

_A face on a lover with a fire in his heart._  
_A girl under cover but you tore me apart, ooh-hoo._  
_Now I’ve found a real love, you’ll never fool me again.”_

At the chorus, she emulated Mabel and hopped up on the counter, opting to sit on it with one leg casually crossed over the other.

_“A face on a lover with a fire in his heart - I gave you my heart!_  
_A girl under cover but you tore me apart_  
_Maybe next year I’ll give it to someone_  
_I’ll give it to someone special~_

_Last Christmas_  
_I gave you my heart_  
_But the very next day you gave it away._  
_This year_  
_To save me from tears_  
_I’ll give it to someone special.”_

Wendy finished the song to wolf whistles and cheering. She hopped down from the counter and bowed, strutting back to the booth and flopping down next to the star-struck Dipper.

“Wendy, you are the coolest person I know,” he said.

“I know,” she replied, grinning and pulling his hat down over his eyes.

In front of the crowd, Ford was once again pulling all eyes to himself.

“Thank you, Wendy, for that fantastic performance! Our next singer – or should I say, _singers_ , are also two of our musicians for tonight. So I think they could use a little help with the accompaniment with this next song. I heard a guitar and another harmonica in the last song – would the lovely folks playing them be willing to come up and join us?” Ford addressed the crowd, who parted to let the guest musicians to the front.

A college-age girl with an acoustic guitar slung over her shoulder made her way to the front, a grin on her face and another girl her age in tow.

The guitarist grinned and spoke up. “We’d be more than willing to play with you folks! My friend and I were just passing through on our way home to Portland and got caught up in the storm. Who knew we’d find dinner _and_ entertainment stopping here?”

Her friend piped up as well. “You guys are a hoot! Have you considered recording some of your stuff?” she asked, eyes full of cheer. Ford laughed – he could see the wheels turning in Stan and Mabel’s heads, one with their eyes full of stars and the other with their eyes full of dollar signs.

“I’d say it’s definitely on our radar,” he smiled back.

The two girls joined the Pines family at the front of the room, pulling up chairs next to Fiddleford and Stan, who they chatted with about the music and songs while tuning. When they were ready, Ford settled the crowd again. The tune of the next song started up nicely, which was then joined by two loud, rough voices – one of whom made up for their lack of pitch with volume and enthusiasm, the other one surprisingly melodic if a bit gravelly.

_“Frosty the snowman was a jolly happy soul_  
_With a corncob pipe and a button nose_  
_And two eyes made out of coal._  
_Frosty the snowman is a fairy tale they say_  
_He was made of snow but the children know_  
_that he came to life one day!_  
_There must have been some magic_  
_in that old silk hat they found_  
_For when they placed it on his head_  
_He began to dance around!_  
_Frosty the snowman_  
_Was alive as he could be_  
_And the children say he could laugh and play_  
_just the same as you and me~”_

Mabel led the crowd in the next few lines.

_“Thumpetty thump thump_  
_Thumpety thump thump!_  
_Look at Frosty go!_  
_Thumpetty thump thump_  
_Thumpety thump thump!_  
_Over the hills of snow!”_

Fiddleford’s enthusiastic screech and Stan’s gravelly bass struck up the next verses.

_“Frosty the snowman knew_  
_The sun was hot that day_  
_So he said ‘Let’s run!’ and we’ll have some fun_  
_Now before I melt away._  
_Down to the village_  
_With a broomstick in his hand_  
_Running here and there all around the square_  
_Saying ‘Catch me if you can!’_  
_He led them down the streets of town_  
_Right to the traffic cop_  
_And he only paused a moment when_  
_He heard him holler ‘Stop!’_  
_For Frosty the snow man_  
_Had to hurry on his way_  
_But he waved goodbye saying_  
_Don’t you cry_  
_I’ll be back again some day_  
_I’ll be back again some day!”_

The crowd cheered loudly and enthusiastically again as the song finished (although how much of that was out of relief, no one was quite sure) and Fiddleford and Stan stood and bowed.

“That was pretty good, nerd,” Stan said, patting Fiddleford on the back. Fiddleford punched him good-naturedly in the shoulder, and Stan laughed.

Ford settled the crowd again. “Now our next singers are two people very special to my great-niece and whom I consider just as much family as my own flesh and blood. These are two of the smartest, kindest, and most loyal youngsters you will ever come across – please welcome Candy and Grenda, singing _Oh Christmas Tree!_ ” He stepped back as the girls jumped to their feet. They caught him in a quick hug before he could sit down, Grenda lifting him fully off the ground to the great amusement of the crowd.

“Thank you Dr. Pines, that was very kind,” Candy smiled at him. She turned back to the crowd. “Now join us in our Christmas tree appreciation and sing along please!”

“Yeah! Release your Christmas JOY!” Grenda pumped a fist in the air and yelled. She and Candy high-fived as the music started up and they started to sing.

_“O Christmas tree,_  
_O Christmas tree_  
_Your leaves are so unchanging_  
_O Christmas tree,_  
_O Christmas tree_  
_Your leaves are so unchanging!_

_Not only green when_  
_Summer’s here_  
_But also when it’s cold and drear_  
_O Christmas tree,_  
_O Christmas tree_  
_Your leaves are so unchanging!_

_O Christmas tree,_  
_O Christmas tree_  
_Much pleasure you do give me_  
_O Christmas tree,_  
_O Christmas tree_  
_Much pleasure you do give me!_

_How often has the Christmas tree_  
_Given me the greatest glee_  
_O Christmas tree,_  
_O Christmas tree_  
_Much pleasure you do give me!_

_From top to bottom_  
_You’re so bright_  
_There’s only splendor for the sight_  
_O Christmas tree,_  
_O Christmas tree_  
_Your lights are shining brightly!_

_O Christmas tree,_  
_O Christmas tree_  
_Your lights are shining brightly!”_

The girls bowed to the crowd. Mabel flung herself at them and wrapped them in hugs, squealing loudly. They all piled back into the booth and on the floor in front of it. Wendy, Dipper, Mabel, Candy, and Grenda all ended up in an easy cuddle pile again, contentedness spreading through them as Ford stepped up to lead the crowd again. Fiddleford, Stan, and the two college girls softly tuned in the background as Ford addressed the crowd.

“Okay folks, now that we’ve had a few spectacular performances by some very gifted individuals, what say we relax a bit more and get the whole group singing? Hmmm?” he said. The audience cheered, everyone settling in and settling down again, the earlier fervor and excitement from the performances draining away as a deep-seated comfort seeped through the diner. Things quieted down, the snow still falling thick and peaceful outside and wrapping the diner in its own warm little world.

Ford smiled. 

Times like this reminded him of the better parts of his travels – groups of strangers gathered together in unexpected places, caught by weather or by misfortune or by luck, all suddenly sharing a bit of happiness and song in the face of whatever had brought them together. It warmed his heart to think of it, and even more so as he looked about the room and saw so many familiar faces looking eagerly back at him, the snow falling outside bringing them all together.

He was reminded of one of his mother’s old favorite movies – _White Christmas_ with Bing Crosby and Danny Kaye. Although they were a Jewish family, his mother loved the cheesy holiday movies that would play on the public broadcast stations and would have them playing in the house nearly all of December. Her favorite was _White Christmas_ (but really, she was a sucker for anything with Bing Crosby in it) so naturally he and Stan learned all the words to many of the popular Christmas songs growing up, _White Christmas_ included.

He began singing before he even realized what he was doing, the musicians behind him falling silent before softly picking up the music. A few members of the crowd joined in as the song went on, but most listened in contented silence.

_“I’m dreaming of a white Christmas_  
_Just like the ones I used to know_  
_Where the treetops glisten_  
_And children listen_  
_To hear sleigh bells in the snow_

_I’m dreaming of a white Christmas_  
_With every Christmas card I write_  
_May your days be merry and bright_  
_And may all your Christmases be white_

_I’m dreaming of a white Christmas_  
_Just like the ones I used to know_  
_Where the treetops glisten_  
_And children listen_  
_To hear sleigh bells in the snow_

_I’m dreaming of a white Christmas_  
_With every Christmas card I write_  
_May your days be merry and bright_  
_And may all your Christmases be white.”_

The sleepy atmosphere in the diner became more content as the music carried on to the end of the song, people snuggling up against each other as Ford’s soothing voice washed over them. He smiled happily, chest warm with affection.

\----------------------------------------------------------------------

For the next few hours, they worked their way through the rest of the requests, adding in more songs when they thought of them. They played sea shanties and Christmas carols, folk songs and Hannukah songs, summer ballads and songs with no names and no words but tunes that spoke of ages past.

The others joined him on some songs, but for the most part Ford sang the gentle melodies that people wanted to hear by himself; alone, that is, save for the soft harmonies from the two girls and Dipper and, amazingly, Stan. 

Ford sang _Roll the Old Chariot Along_ at the request of Stan, who loved the old tune and loved to hear his brother sing it even more. He sang _When Irish Eyes are Smiling_ at the request of Mabel, and _Maoz Tzur_ at Dipper’s request. He sang _The Seas of Space_ at Fiddleford’s request, the song bringing a sweet sad ache to his chest that was mirrored back in his friend’s eyes. 

Well after midnight and into the early part of the morning, the snow finally stopped falling. The diner was filled with sleeping people, everyone save for Ford, Stan, Fiddleford, and the two musician girls succumbing to the warmth and peace they had built. At some point Susan had disappeared into the back and returned with several stacks of old blankets which had been distributed among the people now staying the night. Several other souls had braved the snow and retrieved blankets and extra coats from their now-buried cars. There was no longer any reason to wait for the weather to clear - the snow was now several feet thick and no snowplow would be through until daylight.

As the clock struck three Stan and the two musician girls joined Ford in singing _The Parting Glass_ as an end to the night, the soft blend of their voices carrying a blessing over their fellow stranded travelers.

They stayed like that for a long moment, the five souls drinking in the deep silence that wrapped the diner in its embrace. Then deftly, quietly they each tucked away their instruments, slipping them into their protective cases or designated pockets. Stan scooped up a pile of blankets that Susan had placed near their table earlier in the night and tossed one each at Ford and Fiddleford. He tucked another one under his arm before handing the rest of the stack to the girls, who took them gratefully and proceeded to curl up next to each other under the bar near the Pines. Sleep took them swiftly.

Ford insisted that Fiddleford take the other bench seat in the booth (the children and Wendy occupied the other seat) and, after a hastily whispered debate, Fiddleford agreed. The man curled up quietly under his blanket, soft snores soon drifting from his direction.

Stan and Ford curled up next to each other in front of the booth, back to back and each wrapped in their own blankets. 

It may have been sleep deprivation, or nostalgia brought about by the old songs they had sung, or a combination of both, but neither of the elder Pines twins could fall asleep. After a few fitful minutes of trying to sleep, Stan rolled over to face Ford and leaned towards him to talk – Ford, who coincidentally had the same thought at the same time. They bumped heads in the dark, letting out identical hisses of pain followed by identical giggles at their mistake.

“Y’know, I was thinking. Not counting the people staying at the Shack, or visiting the Stan-o-War, or us randomly crashing at some questionable inn in a country whose name I can’t pronounce, this is our first, honest-to-god sleepover in more than forty years,” Stan whispered.

“I was thinking the same thing,” Ford whispered back. “It’s like that time we got invited over to Erin Anderson’s birthday party when we were six and everyone spent the night on the floor.”

“Oh?”

“Yeah, except hopefully this time no one wets the bed.”  
Stan giggled – _giggled!_ – at that, feeling ten years old again.  
“Remember when Ma would let us build forts in the kitchen out of bedsheets and the table and chairs?” he asked.

“And we would scoot the chairs up to the table so we could fill the seats with pillows and have ‘bunk beds’ under the table? Yes, of course I do!” Ford whispered back. He had thought of their shared childhood often and at great length over the past year, for many reasons.

“Do you remember when we stole all the pillows and cushions in the house in order to make a ‘house’ two levels tall?” Ford asked.

Stan chuckled. “Yeah, and you climbed into the top level to test out the ‘structural integrity’ and collapsed the whole thing on top of me. I coulda suffocated under all those cushions, y’know.”

Ford mumbled an apology, which earned a playful punch from Stan. “I’m just joshin’ ya, Poindexter. It would take a lot more than _pillows_ to take out Stanley Pines!”

This earned a punch from Ford, which turned into a one-armed hug and Ford tucking his head against Stan’s chest. Stan returned the hug with a grin at first, curling up closer to Ford and patting his back. But after a stretch of silence from Ford, Stan was reminded of times when they were little, when Ford would curl up next to him during thunderstorms and after nightmares for protection, convinced that Stan would be able to fight away anything that might threaten them. 

He let out a bit of a sigh.

“Guess I shouldn’t joke about stuff like that, huh?” Stan felt more than saw Ford shake his head. “Don’t worry, Poindexter. I’m not going anywhere.”

There was a muffled response from Ford that Stan couldn’t quite catch. “What was that, nerd?” Stan asked with a chuckle.

Ford unburied his head from under Stan’s arm and fixed him with a look so open and honest and hopeful, Stan swore for a second that it was the Stanford Pines who had just come in from playing on Glass Shard Beach and not the one who had traversed dimensions that asked: 

“Pinky promise?”

Ford uncurled his arm from around Stan and held out his pinky in front of Stan’s face, the strange mix of childlike hope and years of disappointment on Stanford’s face causing a lump to rise Stan’s throat. 

There was no need for any of this, truly. They had settled things months ago, had been working to repair things between them ever since the fiasco at the end of the summer. It shouldn’t have ever been something to worry about. But something about the night, and the sleeping family members around them, and the last song they had sung together had struck a chord in Stan as well, and he found himself reaching up and linking his pinky through his brother’s, a gesture of reassurance older than their oldest quarrel.

“Pinky promise.”

They fell asleep like that, pinkies still linked together, and when Mabel woke at daylight she would be lying if she said she didn’t snap a quick picture for her scrapbook.

\----------------------------------------------------------------------

In the morning, as daylight broke through the diner, the many sleepy patrons stretched and rose to find the roads freshly plowed and their cars only half-buried.

The two girls were the first to depart, thanking and exchanging contact information with Stan and Ford and Fiddleford before slipping through the diner and out into the still morning. 

They seemed almost unnaturally well-rested and chipper for having slept only a few hours on a hard wooden floor, all smiles and good wishes to the remaining diner patrons. If it hadn’t been for the paper clutched in his hand and the sound of a car pulling away in the snow, Ford would have sworn he had imagined them altogether, some product of liminal space that had joined them for a brief night.

Stan and Fiddleford and Ford unburied the El Diablo and got it warming up. They returned to find the diner much emptied, the last few stragglers returning the borrowed blankets and wishing each other safe travels. Several stopped to clap the three men on the shoulder and thank them for the night of music and fun. Stan, ever the businessman, assured them that more great entertainment like that could be found at the Mystery Shack, the greatest tourist destination in all of Oregon and conveniently located right here in Gravity Falls. 

Fiddleford rolled his eyes. Ford simply ignored him and walked over to thank Susan again.

\----------------------------------------------------------------------

As the Pines extended family pulled out of the parking lot and into the freshly plowed road the sun broke through the clouds. Bright golden dawn bathed the whole town in light which, with the freshly fallen snow, was breathtaking and surreal.

“That was fun! We should get stranded at the diner again sometime,” Mabel said, nose pressed up against the window to take in the spectacular display of nature outside the car.

Stan chuckled from the driver’s seat. “Normally I would say no way in heck should we do something like that again, but I gotta admit,” he said, glancing into the rear view mirror and meeting her eyes with a smile. “That _was_ pretty fun, pumpkin. Getting stranded and all. Now, reanimating the turkey? That’s where I draw the line,” he said, side-eyeing Ford. 

Ford groaned. He had forgotten the whole reason they had been at the diner in the first place. 

Fiddleford patted his arm consolingly as the rest of the occupants of the car laughed. 

As they drove on through the glistening winter landscape, someone struck up the tune of Let it Snow, which the whole car gladly joined in with.

Ford looked out the passenger seat window as he sat squished into the seat next to his old friend, the sound of his family’s voices filling his ears and his heart with joy. He joined in heartily at the end of the last verse, belting out the sweet words with gusto.

_“For as long as you love me so – Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow!”_

**Author's Note:**

> Ta-da! :D And here we are at the end at last! I have to admit, this was a lot of fun to do even if it ended up being significantly longer than I had intended. I hope you enjoy it, Ran! XD
> 
> As a bit of a background note, a lot of the content of the fic was inspired by my own experiences and the experiences of some of my friends from growing up and from travelling. You’d be surprised the shenanigans random strangers are willing to help you out with, especially if they involve music XD I’ve gotten stranded at the airport several different times around Christmas (or simply decided to have an 18 hour layover for some unfathomable reason) and let me tell you, nothing makes the hours fly by like an open piano, a ukulele, and a bunch of random strangers singing together! Also, if you don’t know about liminal spaces check them out. There are several A+ posts about them on Tumblr and they are super duper cool.
> 
> The childhood memories that Stan and Ford recalled about blanket forts and pillow buildings - right down to getting said building collapsed on top of you - were straight from my childhood (I was the one that got buried, by the way XD). The straw war from the very beginning of the fic was another small reference to one of my favorite childhood memories as well.
> 
> Also, the entire inspiration for this fic stemmed from a lovely video by @garrulousgibberish of Ford singing. Stan’s harmonica playing was also inspired by Ran’s “Harmonica Harassment” comics and bits. You should check out all of Ran’s stuff, they’re awesome! :D
> 
> -Nana Graye


End file.
